Acton-Wakefield Watershed Alliance Completes Watershed Study

The Acton-Wakefield Watershed Alliance (AWWA) received a grant from the NH Department of Environmental Services (DES) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from the clean water act to undertake a watershed study that included Great East Lake, Horn Pond, Lake Ivanhoe, and Lovell Lake – all of which are part of the Salmon Falls River watershed.

The purpose of the study was to develop a build-out analysis and to make recommendations to the Town of Wakefield and the Town of Acton regarding changes to zoning and land use regulations to better protect each town’s surface waters. FB Environmental, the consultant hired by AWWA to complete the study, presented the results of their study to the Planning Board at the Board’s Master Plan forum on September 10th.

FB Environmental began their presentation with a discussion of how to balance growth and protection of environmental quality. They identified the introduction of phosphorus into our surface waters as a primary concern affecting water quality. Phosphorus enters our surface waters through run-off from development and impervious surfaces, and leaching from septic systems, with fertilizers and detergents being the most frequent source of phosphorus. Erosion and the resulting siltation was another concern identified by FB Environmental.

Recommendations to minimize the amount of phosphorus included encouraging property owners to use phosphate-free fertilizers and detergents. To help control erosion, FB Environmental suggested that the towns encourage cluster developments and the use of low impact development techniques.

To learn more about the watershed study and surveys, visit the AWWA website at:

http://www.awwatersheds.org/about-joomla


Following this presentation, the Planning Board began a discussion on natural resources planning. The Board requested the Town Planner to research the results of a natural resource inventory undertaken by the Conservation Commission about 5 years ago. The Board then went on to discuss viewsheds throughout town and the need to identify and protect them.

There will be more discussion on these and other concerns when the Board begins to update the natural resources chapter of the Master Plan.